Disclaimer: Not mine. Belong to some guy named Bruckheimer. He seems to have some good ideas – hope the poor kid makes it in the entertainment industry someday.
Rating: Um, 'T' I think – but not sure – family friendly if that helps – though I still think there was a slight overreaction in the fanfic community over the MPAA.
Spoilers: Current season only if there are those that don't know about Mac's new friend.
Category: Mac/Stella
Author: Traci
Summary: Peyton and Don realize they share the same feelings – what can they do about their situation? And how with the CSI 'kiddies' help? MacStella
Author's Note: Inspired by Mac stating he had plans for Thanksgiving. It got me thinking and well…. that can sometimes be a bad thing hehe. Oh, and then listening to Harry Connick, Jr.'s 'What are you doing New Year's Eve?" – ah, a wonderful fic inspiration song. Oh, and this was only supposed to be a conversation – it snowballed all on it's own.
Those Meddling Kids
"So… what do we do about this?" asked a dark-haired woman who had her hands wrapped around the hot mug of coffee on the table before her.
The man with her shrugged. "What can we do? We can't keep going on like this; it's not fair to anyone. Not to them and not to us."
"They may never figure it out you know," she offered, taking a sip of the steaming liquid.
"They may not, but does that make it right for us to keep it up?"
The woman sighed and shook her head. "When did it all get so complicated?"
The man smiled. "When you and I fell for the wrong people."
Looking him straight in the eye, the woman asked, "Is it really that easy for you to just give up? To just let go?"
He nodded. "But I was never really involved with her. Not like you are with him."
Again she sighed. "How can I just walk away from him?"
The man reached across the table and took one of her hands in his and held it tight. "Peyton, you know Mac is in love with Stella, who is definitely in love with him as well. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life with a man who you know isn't in love with you?"
Tears pricked at her eyes but she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Stella really doesn't know what a great man she's missing out on, Don." Peyton glanced down at the table and almost whispered, "Guess it's another New Year's alone."
"I see it as we have one of two options here."
The glint in Flack's eyes made her smile. "And those two options would be?"
"Well, we could be miserable and wallow in self-pity or… or you could accompany me to the New Year's bash the station is throwing."
"Why, Detective Flack, are you taking advantage of a broken heart?"
"What? Oh, geez, no, I'm sorry, Peyton… I… I didn't mean it to sound like…"
She held onto his hand. "Don, relax, I understand. I was kidding. I'd love to go." She paused and thought. "What about Mac and Stella?"
"They won't be there. It's for the police."
She shook her head. "No, I mean how do we make sure they spend this New Year's together – as it should be."
"Oh, that. Don't worry. I'm sure Lindsay and Danny can come up with some sort of plan."
Three Weeks Later
New Year's Eve
"Mac, I'm sorry you have to miss New Year's Eve. You seemed to have had… um… someone to spend it with this year." Her heart was breaking even as she spoke the words but first and foremost, Mac was her friend. Her best friend. His happiness was more important to her than her unrequited feelings for him.
Mac merely nodded. He had never confided in Stella about his relationship, former relationship, with Peyton. He wasn't really sure why, he just hadn't. Truth be known, he actually preferred his current situation to that of a party with Peyton.
"Lindsay had made it sound like a simple thing," Stella continued. "You really don't have to be here."
"Stella?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you hear me complaining?"
She stopped what she was doing and glanced at him, smiling when she saw his smirk. Her attention returned to the task at hand. "So, um, did you have plans?"
"I did."
Stella was glad she wasn't facing him as numbness ran through her. Then she chided herself for even wishing Mac to be alone. She had dated guys recently, not among the best choices and one she would have liked to forget completely, so why should she expect Mac to be lonely?
"But those plans ended a few weeks ago. What about you?"
She shrugged. "Same ol', same ol'. Movies and ice cream at home." With one final twist, she stumbled backwards right into Mac's open arms. "Thanks." She stood up and observed her handy work. "I still don't know why Lindsay insisted this had to be fixed tonight."
But Mac did not respond. Her words still echoed in his head. Same ol', same ol'. Movies and ice cream at home. How on earth could a woman as beautiful, inside and out, be spending so many New Year's Eve's alone? Surely someone had to be interested in her but was too scared to ask. Oh, wait, there was someone and yes, he had been too scared to ask.
"Mac? Earth to Mac!"
"Sorry."
She laughed and used the back of her hand to push locks of unruly curls out of her face, only to have them fall right back down again.
Without even thinking, Mac reached over and pushed them behind her ear, allowing his fingers to linger a bit longer than necessary.
"So, um, why are you here anyway, Mac? Did Lindsay ask you too? I mean, no offence but fixing temperamental lab equipment isn't exactly your thing."
His hand dropped back down to his side. "Danny asked me to meet him here." He looked at his watch. "Of course, he was going to meet me here an hour ago."
Stella grinned.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Stell, you never grin like that without a reason."
"I think our kids are up to something." She put the wrench down and turned on the object she had been working on, leaving Mac to ponder.
"Our kids? Stella, what are you talking about?"
She stopped and leaned across the desk, resting her chin on her hands. "Think about it, Mac. We're like a family. It's cliché, yes, but we are. Hawkes, Lindsey and Danny are the bratty kids to our stern parenting. Well, your stern parenting. I'm the fun parent."
Mac walked over to her and started sniffing around.
"What are you doing?"
"Making sure you didn't start celebrating New Year's early."
Gently, she swatted his arm. "I'm serious."
"So am I."
Rolling her eyes, Stella punched a few buttons to test her repair. "What happened?" she asked softly.
"With?"
"Your plans."
"That. Things just didn't work out. I guess she wanted more than I was willing to give." For example, the part of his heart he knew had belonged to someone else for awhile.
"I'm sorry, Mac." She looked at him. "I know it's not easy for you to… well… I know it was hard for you to move on after Claire."
"Baby steps."
"Yeah." The computer beeped at her and she promptly turned it off once again. "All done. So, what do you say we get out of here? I'll drop you off."
He followed behind her, turning off the lights and locking up doors as they went. "You never did explain what you meant by the kids are up to something?"
"I'm sure it's nothing. No big deal." Grabbing their coats from his office, she handed his to him and slid hers on.
The first step into the cold, New York air was shocking, yet refreshing and Stella all but squealed upon seeing large, fluffy snowflakes descending upon them. Mac smiled as he watched her stand in the middle of the sidewalk looking skyward. The soft curls of her hair looked even more enchanting as the delicate flakes gently contrasted brown with white. She turned and smiled at him. "It's snowing."
He smiled back and walked down the steps to join her on the sidewalk. "I can see that."
In the distance, they could hear the rumble of the Times Square crowd.
"Mac?"
"Hmm?"
"I've never been to Times Square for New Year's."
"And you want to go tonight? In the snow?"
She bit her lower lip and nodded in a child-like fashion. It was a look she knew would get her anything she wanted from him. "Please?"
Shaking his head, he slid an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close as they walked along the snow-covered sidewalk. "I hate when you do that."
"I know."
They had only made it a few steps when the church bells started to chime in midnight.
"Next year?" he asked.
"Guess so." She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, immersing herself in the sounds and feel of the night, when she felt something completely unexpected. A warmth. Not just any warmth but the distinct warmth of soft lips against hers. Hoping it was the lips of her partner and friend, and not some mugger, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back.
When she opened her eyes, she was thrilled to find his staring back at her.
"Just assuring you will be my date at Times Square next here," he whispered.
"How can you be so sure?" she asked, not letting him go.
"Well, they say that the person you're with on New Years will be the person you will be with that year. And there is no other person, Stella. It's been you for a long time."
A lone tear escaped and ran down her reddened cheek. "Really?"
"Yeah. I've just been… scared of what I could lose with you."
"What changed?"
He gazed into her eyes for a moment before he replied. He had to be sure she felt the same way.
"Mac? What changed?"
"Me," he admitted as he softly kissed her once again.
This time when they broke, she was grinning like the cat that ate the canary.
"Stell?"
"The kids? I'd say their plan worked perfectly."
Running his fingers through her hair, he again had a questioning look.
"Lindsay didn't need that fixed tonight and Danny never intended to meet up with you."
"Ah." He took her hand in his as they walked towards her car. "Remind me to thank them for being the meddling kids that they are."
Stella laughed as she slid into the driver seat and started the car. Meddling, maybe, but they were like all other kids – they just wanted to see their parents happy.
The End